Pam's keeping her connections

Pam Taylor’s weekly stint in the Liscombe House kiosk bridges the gap that can arise when friends leave the independent units at Leith Park and go to the nearby aged care facility. But working in the kiosk a couple of afternoons a week means Pam can catch up with some dear friends.

“I have some friends who are now in low care who I got to know well when we all lived in our own units. Some days after working at the kiosk in Liscombe House I come back to my unit and I feel sad about it, but that is life and we all have to get old. We are lucky to have such a lovely place offering the care to people.”

Pam loves where she lives and has made it feel like home – inside and out.

Not everyone at Leith Park would know Pam Taylor, but chances are they know of her garden. Passing her expansive front yard as they head to or from the hall, you can’t help but notice the garden scenes Pam has created using colourful ceramic pigs on a see-saw, rabbits hiding under trees chickens scattered around the place and birds, especially her favourites, Kookaburras here and there. Several hip surgeries have made digging and planting almost impossible, but Pam has discovered another way to gain pleasure from gardening.

“I don’t know much about plants or gardening really. My garden looks a bit quirky, but it is my personality I bring to the garden and it means I can work in the garden in a way I can manage. When I go to a social event or activity in the hall, it is lovely to hear people tell me that the garden and all the characters in it, make them smile,” she said. Pam also brings her personality to a lot of people within the village at St Helena, especially to the residents and staff at Liscombe House, OCAV’s aged care facility.

Pam moved into the Leith Park village almost 11 years ago and since then she has volunteered in many capacities at Liscombe House, including the sorting and delivering of mail for a couple of years, helping out at happy hour and then helping run and then call the bingo for a couple of years and now she works in the Liscombe House kiosk two days a week.

“I really like to get involved and it is lovely to know that doing something so small at Liscombe House can give some people a bit of pleasure,” Pam said.

“When I used to deliver the mail I would just put it on some peoples’ table. Others would start talking and we would have a brief chat, usually just about what might be happening in the village or about the weather.”

Pam, 73, was born and raised in Preston, but lived in Watsonia before moving to Leith Park. She was living alone in a small flat when some bowling mates told her about the village. She visited and realised it was the place for her. She hasn’t looked back and loves the environment and the sense of security the village has to offer.

Pam has had a few health setbacks in recent months but is now back on her feet and back at the kiosk where four days a week residents can buy things like toiletries, batteries, sweet treats or other things. For years she has also made greeting cards that are sold and all money goes to Liscombe House.

“I love living here and I certainly wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Pam said.